Field of the Invention
Embodiments presented herein provide techniques for selecting group-based digital content using a currency-based marketing system.
Description of the Related Art
Advances in technology allow individuals to interact with one another in groups in a variety of online or virtual contexts. For instance, online gaming connects players all over the world and allows the players to share a game experience, despite being physically separated from each other. Online games allow players to form groups to play cooperatively or competitively. Further, online games often allow a group of players to select content for the entire group to experience, such as maps to play through in the game. Outside of gaming contexts, other online communities or services allow people to interact with one another as a group or require some form of group decision making. For example, an online streaming video service may allow people to watch the same movie on different screens while providing mechanism to communicate with each other.
Typically, to select group content, such as in an online game, each participant is given a vote. Each participant votes on a desired content, and the content that receives a majority of votes is ultimately selected. For example, assume that five players are playing an adventure game online together, and the game presents the players four options of environments to explore. In this setting, the game selects the map receiving the most votes. However, this approach may limit the opportunities to play through a desired map. For example, consider a situation where the group votes in the same manner each time. In this case, the game never selects a map preferred by a minority of participants because the majority vote always prevails. As a result, this approach may result in a less enjoyable experience for some individuals in a group.